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What exactly is a dust explosion, and should I worry about house dust?

A pile of flour in a bowl won't burn well, but a cloud of it tossed into a fire could. A pile of flour in a bowl won't burn well, but a cloud of it tossed into a fire could. (Wiqan Ang for The Boston Globe)
March 10, 2008

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An explosion is really a kind of build-up of pressure (that's the "bang") and to get that, you usually need a combination of quick burning and something to contain the hot gases released to build up pressure. You might do without the container if the burning is fast enough, but we needn't worry about that for the question you're asking. (Full article: 360 words)

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